New Delhiinfo-icon:- Israelinfo-icon's prime minister has greenlighted work to begin on planned railroad network that will connect the Jewish state to Saudi Arabiainfo-icon, Israeli state-run TVinfo-icon reported on Saturday.

According to a translation of the report by The New Arab's Arabic-language service, Binyamin Netanyahu and Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz have agreed to "immediately launch" the project.

"The channel's political pundit Dennis Weiss stressed that the administration of USinfo-icon President Donald Trumpinfo-icon supports the project," the report said.

"He added that it will strengthen relations with 'moderate nations' in the region and fight the threat of Iraninfo-icon," it added.

Under the proposal, goods could travelinfo-icon by rail from Israel's port of Haifa through Jordaninfo-icon to Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states.

Katz last year spoke to Saudi-funded news website Elaph about the freight railway network, saying he wanted to revive the historic Hejaz railway.

"As you can see this regional project will link trains to Saudi Arabia, Bahraininfo-icon and the United Arab Emiratesinfo-icon," he said.

He added that the project will also give Palestinians greater access to Haifa's port, with a station in the northern West Bank city of Jenin.

The report is the latest in a series showing warming ties between Israel and Gulf states that are increasingly coming out in the open as they find common cause against mutual foe Iran.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said in a magazine interviewinfo-icon in April that Israelis as well as Palestinians "have the right to have their own land".

King Salman however later reaffirmed Riyadh's "steadfast" support for the Palestinian cause.

Netanyahu frequently boasts of growing, covert cooperation with moderate Arab countries.